The BC SPCA is warning against at-home neutering after two cats were dropped off at the Vancouver shelter with serious injuries earlier this month.
One of the cats didn’t survive, according to the BC SPCA.
“The cats had their genitals tied with an elastic band,” BC SPCA Vancouver Branch Manager Jodi Dunlop said. “The wounds on both cats were horrific.”
This is the third at-home neuter the branch has seen in two weeks. Dunlop believes the recent surge comes down to finances.
“The only thing I could possibly think of is it’s an expense to them, maybe they can’t afford it so they just try to do it themselves.”
Dunlop said neutering or spaying an animal at home should never be an option.
“This obviously is not a good idea, it is horrific, it causes the animal a great deal of pain,” she said.
“Reach out to us, reach out to another humane organization, there’s low-income spay/neuters, sometimes there’s no-cost spay/neuters.”
The surviving cat, who staff named Geiger, had to undergo a perineal urethrostomy procedure and was treated for an ear infection.
Dunlop said despite the pain, Geiger was “always purring and ready for attention from a human.”
She said Geiger is recovering swiftly and will soon be off to his forever home.
As for who was responsible, Dunlop doesn’t know who dropped the cats off at the shelter.
An SPCA officer looked into the situation, she said, but came to a dead end.